Convertible vacuum cleaner



- P M. w. FRASER (FOWERTIBLE VACUUM CLEANER Filed July 11, 1944 Patented Apr. 22, 194'? 2,419,490 I CONVERTIBLE VACUUM CLEANER Malcolm W. Fraser, Maumee, Ohio, assignor.

to Air-Way Electric Appliance Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation Delaware Application July 17, 1944, Serial No. 545,232

Claims. 1

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners of the type in which dust laden air-entering the machine passes directly into a dust collecting filter and thence is pulled through the filter into the suction producing unit from which it is discharged from the machine. In particular, the invention relates to a cleaner of this type having a single outlet throughwhich the discharge may be .concentrated and delivered through a suitable hose attachment to various types of blowing devices. An object of the invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner of this type, wherein the full capacity of the suction unit may be automatically delivered to the blower outlet merely the outside instead of drawing air through the filter unit;

duces the flow of air that the suction unit would be capable of producing if unimpeded by the filter. This fiow is further greatly reduced by the accumulation of dust and debris in the filter. When the filter becomes filled, the air fiow may be reduced to only a fraction of its original quantity. -Any material loss in air flow seriously impairs the efiiciency of the blower attachment, particularlyspraying devices which require a certain head of air pressure in order to operate satisiactorily.

The present invention makes it possible to relieve the suction unit of the filter load by providing means for automatically enabling air to flow directly to the inlet of the suction unit without passing through the filter when the blower attachment is connected to the machine.

Another object is to provide a vacuum cleaner with automatic means responsive to the mounting of the blower attachment thereonfor utilizing the full force of the air stream created by the fan unit by taking in air from the outside without the necessity of having it pass through the filter.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafte appear and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vacuum cleaner disposed on its side in the position wherethe blower attachment may be mounted;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a vacuumcleaner-of the upright type, parts being broken away and shown in section to illustrate the means by which the valve is unseated for Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional 'view showing the valve arrangement illustrated in Figure 2 with the valve inclosed position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view substantially on the line 4.-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing an alternate form in which the valve is elec tromagnetically actuated to its open position;

and

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the electromagnetically actuated'valve with the valve in open .position.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a vacuum cleaner of the upright type including a base 10 having supporting legs II, a housing having a shell l2 rising from the base l0, and a filter casing 13 mounted on the shell I2. A suction unit M is supported within the shell l2 and a filter I5 is suitably suspended within the filter casing l3. The top of the filter casing it is closed by a suitable cover l5, which is provided with an inlet neck it to which may be attached the usual hose leading to a suitable cleaning tool (not shown). The filter E5 in this instance is in the form of porous paper, cloth or other air pervious material and is suitably supported between the top of the casing l3 and the cover it. i v

The suction unit M comprises a motor and fan assembly which includes a housing I! on the upper portion it of which is mounted an electric motor 9. The lower portion of the housing i8 is enlarged at 23 to form the fan casing within which is mounted a conventional type of multiple, centrifugal, impeller suction fan unit of a type adapted to produce a high suction head.

The shell l2 in this instance is formed with a bottom wall 2i which hasa blower outlet or outlet tube 22 through which the discharge from the suction unit it may be concentrated. The

arates the space within the shell [2 into anina passes directly into the filter bag l5 through which chamber 26, and thence through the outlet 22 v to the outside.

In blowing operations, the hose is detached from the inlet neck [6- and a hose 29 with the blowing attachment thereon is applied to the outlet 22. 'It will be recognized that the volume ofair drawn through the filter bag it depends upon the extent to which the pores of the filter bag are clogged. The more the filter'bag I is clogged, the smaller will be the volume of air discharged at the outlet 22.

In accordance with this invention, when it is desired to make use of the blowing attachment, a valve is automatically opened enabling the suction unit 54 to draw in air or at least a portion of the air directly from the outside without the necessity of it passing through the filter bag. As shown, a valve seat 30' in the form of an annular collarproviding an inlet opening 3| projects outwardly from the wall of the shell l2 in communication with the inlet chamber 26. The

a washer 49 at the inner end of the stem 32' for normally holding the valve in its seated or closed position. It will be understood that upon energizing the solenoid 41, the valve stem 32' is moved to the left of the figures substantially to the position shown in Figure 6 and holds the valve in thatposition until deenergized. From the solenoid 41 extends a' lead 50 which is suitably connected to a switch element 5| so arranged that when the blower hose 29 is inserted into the outlet tube 22 to the proper distance, the switch is closed, thereby to energize the solenoid '41. When the blower hose 29 is removed, the spring action of the switch unit 5| breaks the electrical connection and the solenoid 41 is deenergized.

- Th'ereupon th coil spring 48 automatically seats ation can be carried on. However; as soon as the blower, attachment is removed from the vacuum cleaner, the valve is automatically closed,

valve comprises a stem 32 which slides in a bracket 33 secured to the inner wall of the shell l2 and fastened to the outer end of the stem '32 is a head 34 having a rubber washer 35 for engagement with the annular seat at. A coil spring 36 is interposed between the bracket 33 and a washer 3? on the inner end portionof the stem 32. A nut 38 engages the threaded innerend of the stem to hold the washer iii in adjusted position.

The spring 36 normally holds the valve head 34 in closed position but in order to unseat the valve automatically upon the insertion of the hose 29 within th discharge tube 22, a rod 39 is mounted for sliding movements in brackets 46 and 40A and the flanged ring 34 is provided with a cam M on its upper end engageable with a pin42 which extends through the valve stem 32. As shown, the cam member M is formed with an elongate aperture through which the stem 32 extends. It will be obvious upon inspection of Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings, that when the hose member 29 of the blowing attachment is inserted into th outlet opening 22, it abuts against an inturned end 43 of the rod 39 and moves the same upwardly so that the cam 4! operating against the pin d2 moves thevalve headoutwardly or to the position indicated on Figure 4. In such a position, the fan unit can draw air directly through the opening 3! and without the necessity of requiring the air to pass through the filter unit l5.

As soon as the hose 29 is removed from the opening 22, the rod 39 is moved downwardly in response to a coil spring 44, one end of which bears against a disc 45 fixed to the rod and the other end of which bears against the bracket 40A. Upon downward movement of the rod 39 to its normal position with the end thereof resting against the discharge tube 22, the spring 36 moves the valve head 34 abruptly to its seat.

The alternate form of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 and '7 contemplates the actuation of thereby obviating the necessity of the operator manually closing the valve. In this way the device is fool proof and in no instance will the valve be in its open position when the vacuum cleaner is employed for suction cleaning operation.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction; arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

WhatIclaimis:

1. In a vacuum cleaner of the type including a dust collecting filter, a suction unit arranged to pull air through said filter, and a housing pro viding a closed chamber with which the inlet side of said suction unit and the discharge side of said filter communicate, a valve in said housing adapted when in open position to afford communication between said chamber and the outside for lay-passing inlet air to said suction unit, means providing an outlet chamber on the discharge side of the suction unit,means leading to the interior of said outlet chamber providing for the attachment of a blower hose, and means responsive to the attachment of a blower hose to said last means for moving said valve to its open position.

. 2. In a vacuum cleaner including a dust collecting filter, a suction unit, and a housing forming a closed chamber with which the inlet side of said suction unit andthe discharge side of said filter communicate, and an outlet chamber with which the outlet of said suction unit communicates, said outlet chamber having an outlet for receiving the hose of a blower attachment, a valve in the wall of said housing communicating with said first mentioned chamber, and means engageable with said blower hose upon attachment of same to said outlet for causing movement of said valve to open position.

3. A vacuum cleaner. as claimed in claim 2, wherein said valve unseating means comprises mechanically operated means including a spring .tensioned longitudinally movable rod for unseating said valve, and spring means for moving said valve to its seat upon removal of the blower hose.

4. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein said valve unseating means comprises a spring tensioned cam means for moving said valve away from its seat, and spring means for retuming said valve to its seat.

5. A vacuum cleaner of the type including a dust collecting filter, a suction unit arranged to pull air through said filter, and a housing providing a closed chamber with which the inlet side of said suction unit and the discharge side of said filter communicate, said filter being of porous material, impervious to dust particles but pervious to air in a degree that decreases with the accumulation of dust in said filter, a valve in said housing adapted to provide communication between said chamber and the outside for .by-passing inlet air to said suction unit around said filter, 15

means for automatically opening said vvalve upon application of a blowing attachment to the vacuum cleaner, and spring means for closing said valve upon removal of such blowing attachment.

MALCOLM W. FRASER.

. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

